Monthly Archives: February 2014

As a result of my husband’s heart attack five months ago, we’ve had a crash course in both heart-healthy and health-zapping foods. Recently, I posted some of the best foods you can eat to help maintain a healthy heart. Today, I’m focusing on the culprits.

It’s unfortunate that many of the least-healthy foods for our hearts are also the most common and easily accessible. Oh, and the cheapest, at least in the short term. They’re definitely not the cheapest when you factor in the practical costs of healthcare following a heart attack.

Here’s a quick and dirty list of what my husband’s heart doctors told us to avoid:

Trans-fats (Look for the terms “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated fat or oil” in the list of ingredients.)

Saturated fats (These are most often of animal origin and are found in items like butter and fatty cuts of meat.)

As you can see from the list, these types of foods are on every street corner and the aisles of every grocery store in the country. They can be hard to avoid, but not impossible. Unfortunately, this means that consumers have to adopt a “buyer beware” attitude and read the ingredient labels on the food products they purchase.

Like this:

Less than one year ago, my husband suffered a heart attack. To say it was a shock is a serious understatement. We were on vacation when it happened, prepared for a week of fun and sun. Instead, we spent much of that time in an intensive care unit.

I couldn’t stay with him after visiting hours, so I went back to our room and had plenty of time to think. At first glance, my husband didn’t appear to have the obvious risk factors for a heart attack. He wasn’t overweight; he didn’t smoke; and his diet wasn’t what most would consider bad. He did have a lot stress because of his job and he didn’t have a daily exercise routine. I suspect that family heredity played a role, as well as undiagnosed high blood pressure.

Excellent care literally gave him a second chance. Now, five months later, he says the heart attack was the best thing that ever happened to him. It was a wake-up call; one that he has heeded. He’s changed his diet to include heart-healthy foods and he’s started exercising daily, losing more than 20 pounds over the last five months.

Sadly, nearly 600,000 people a year in the United States don’t get a second chance. Heart attacks remain the leading cause of death for both men and women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Since February is American Heart Month, I think it’s worth reviewing a list of some of the top heart-healthy foods that you can include in your diet. I gathered this list — which is definitely not exhaustive — from a wide variety of sources, including information provided to us by my husband’s heart specialists. The list is not in any particular order:

Share this:

Like this:

It’s one of the wonderful oddities of exercise that you often feel less hungry afterwards. That’s a great time to take advantage of a healthy post-workout smoothie like this one. Yes, it’s green, thanks to the kale. But it’s also sweet because of the pineapple and mango.

By now, nearly everyone has heard of the health benefits of kale. It’s low in calories and high in calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K. It’s also a good source of minerals, including copper and potassium. To be honest, though, I find kale a bit hard to eat in salads. The texture can be tough unless you give it time to soften. But kale works like a charm in smoothies.

I’m a big believer in the health benefits of whole food smoothies. I honestly can’t think of an easier way to get all of the fruits and vegetables into my diet on a daily basis. So while I do primarily drink green smoothies for the health benefits, that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy the taste. I’ve tried dozens of recipes and I like some more than others. This is one of my favorites. Try it and judge for yourself!

Directions
Place all of the ingredients into a high speed blender, adding your liquid first and frozen items last. Mix until you reach the consistency that you like. You may need to add more water.

I’ve mentioned this in earlier blogs, but it probably bears repeating. You really do need a high speed blender to make green smoothies. It has to be powerful enough to pulverize the fruits and vegetables. Otherwise, you’ll have unappetizing bits of green leaves in your smoothie, creating a not-so-appealing texture.

I gulped hard about a year ago and purchased a Vitamix. I’ve never regretted that purchase; I use it almost every day. There are other brands out there as well, so you may want to do some research before you plunk down serious change on a high-speed blender.

If you do try this recipe, drop me a line and let me know what you think.

Like this:

Crazy about carrots? Try this roasted carrots and parsnips dish. The hardest part is the prep and that’s not exactly taxing. If you have left-overs, you can turn them into a tasty soup with the simple addition of vegetable or chicken broth.

I’m a big fan of carrots, either raw or roasted. I like all vegetables that are naturally sweet. But I don’t use parsnips very often, probably because they’re less common and I didn’t grow up eating them.

Like carrots, parsnips are a root vegetable, but they have a milder flavor. They’re high in dietary fiber, vitamin C and B-complex vitamins. The carrots offer an excellent source of beta carotene and vitamin A. These root vegetables are related and their tastes complement each other in this dish.

I’m cooking for two, so if you have a larger family, you’ll want to double this recipe:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash and peel the vegetables and julienne them (this is the most time-consuming part). They don’t have to be perfect, just close enough to the same size so that they’ll cook evenly. If you have a nifty little tool that does this for you, then the whole process should be a breeze.

Line your roasting pan with aluminum foil. It’ll make clean-up so much easier. Spread the vegetables into the roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Mix so that the seasonings and the olive oil are well distributed.

Raw Carrots & Parsnips

Roast for 20 minutes, then stir. Return to the oven and roast for another 15-20 minutes. That’s all there is to it. This is an easy recipe that tastes great, with the added benefit of being good for you.

If you do have left-overs, it’s easy to turn them into soup. Put the leftovers into a high-speed blender and add vegetable or chicken stock. Puree until smooth and add broth until you reach the consistency you desire.

Carrot & Parsnip Soup

Share this:

Like this:

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you’ll love this muffin. It’s one of my all-time favorites and it also happens to be one of my dad’s. So in honor of his upcoming birthday, I delivered a batch of these sweet muffins to him, in lieu of cake.

I first ran across this recipe on the blog, Easy Peasy Organic. Since then, I’ve adapted it to fit my tastes and to fit the ingredients that I typically have in my pantry. It’s packed with healthy stuff like fresh raw sweet potatoes, whole wheat flour, olive oil and nuts. Best of all, it’s easy to make and you won’t feel guilty about enjoying them.

I love the fact that this recipe uses raw sweet potatoes. All you have to do is peel and grate. I usually buy the red garnet variety, but any type would work well. As always, organic is your best bet. You’ll want to break out your hand-held grater for this one!

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix thoroughly. You may need to use your hands for this. The batter is thick, almost more like a cookie dough. Spoon into muffin tins (3/4 of the way full) and bake for approximately 20 minutes. They’re done when a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Like this:

If the idea of a green smoothie intrigues, but slightly scares you, then make this one your first. It’s like a bike with training wheels. It’s most definitely green, but it’s also sweet enough to make the trip both easy and enjoyable. Before you know it, you’ll be reaching for the kale and Swiss chard!

I first started making green smoothies about a year ago and was amazed at how much I enjoyed the taste and even began to crave them. Green smoothies make it easy to get a days serving of fruits and vegetables in one glass.

There are a million different recipes out there. But I think it’s best to start with a mild version like this one.

There is one caveat. You really do need a high speed blender to make green smoothies. Otherwise, you’ll end up with little pieces of spinach that really don’t make the texture very appealing. Get a blender that pulverizes the fruits and greens. Honestly, it’s worth spending the money if you’re serious about your smoothies.

Add the liquid first, then the fresh ingredients, and the flax and chia seeds, if you’re using them. If any of your ingredients are frozen, you’ll want to add those last, along with the ice. Blend for one minute or until you reach the consistency that you like.

This smoothie is packed with healthy ingredients. The flax is a good source of fiber and omega-3 fats. The grapes, orange and banana all have vitamin C and potassium and the pineapple packs vitamin B6, manganese and copper. We all know that carrots are rich in beta-carotene and that spinach is one of those power foods. It’s a good source of fiber and vitamin K, and it contains a host of other minerals. *

This green smoothie may just make you a convert. Try it and I think you’ll find that it really is easy being green.

Like this:

We eat a lot of yogurt at my house. I like it in smoothies and with fresh fruit, granola and honey. So, for my birthday this year, I asked my husband for an automatic yogurt machine. Yes, that’s really what I wanted; I’m practical, if nothing else.

The prospect of making my own yogurt appeals to me because I try to avoid additives and preservatives in my food, at least as much as possible. After making my first batch of plain yogurt earlier this month, I decided to try one flavored with strawberry jam. A good friend had given us a jar of Meacham’s Gourmet Strawberry Jam for Christmas last year and this seemed like a good use of it.

Making flavored yogurt is just a little more complicated than plain, but not much.

Simply measure the jam into a saucepan and set it aside. If the jam has been in the refrigerator, you’ll want to heat it a little bit. Mine was room temperature, so I didn’t bother with that step.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate saucepan to 180 degrees and boil for two minutes. The temperature is important in this process, so make sure you use a thermometer.

Once the cooking process is done, let the milk cool to 110 degrees. You can either leave it on the stovetop to cool or you can place the saucepan in a bath of cold water. Once the milk has reached 110 degrees, add one cup of it to the strawberry jam and stir. Once it’s mixed thoroughly, combine it with the rest of the milk.

Next, add five tablespoons of plain organic yogurt (your starter) to the milk mixture, stirring as you go. Pour it into your jars and place them in the yogurt machine. I first set the machine for nine hours, which worked fine for the plain yogurt, but I found that I needed an additional hour for the strawberry.

Like this:

Chicken Poppy Seed Salad for Two(Recipe adapted from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood)

Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

Every now and then, you run across a recipe that you know will taste great, but one of the ingredients causes you to pause and wonder whether the taste will be worth the calories. The good news is that you can usually alter a recipe to make it healthier without sacrificing taste. That’s the case with this Chicken Poppy Seed Salad recipe.

The original recipe — which I’ve cut in half — called for a whopping two cups of mayonnaise. That’s approaching 2,000 calories for those of you who are counting. By significantly cutting the mayonnaise and using lite instead of regular, this adapted recipe uses only two tablespoons of mayo, totaling less than 80 calories. I added an additional two tablespoons of plain yogurt to make it creamier. I also added a grated carrot to the mix, adding a a little extra sweetness with the side benefit of some beta-carotene.

Honestly, you won’t miss the extra mayonnaise in this recipe, which makes just enough for three or four sandwiches:

Directions:
Place the chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover with water. Boil until cooked through, approximately 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, dice the celery, cut the grapes in half and grate the carrot. Mix together in a bowl and add the dried dill weed and poppy seeds. Once the chicken is cooked through and cool enough to handle, dice it in small pieces and mix in with the other ingredients. Add the mayonnaise and yogurt and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

This smoothie is a great way to start your morning on a healthy note. You can’t find fault with the ingredients; they’re full of vitamins, fiber and phytochemicals, which are substances found in plant-based foods. The American Cancer Society reports that some phytochemicals act as antioxidants or have hormone-like effects on the body that may help inhibit some types of cancer. Best of all, though, the smoothie tastes great.

I’m a big believer in using good nutrition to stave off illnesses and to help maintain a healthy body and weight. So I’ve always been interested in the health benefits of particular foods. In this smoothie, you get a little bit of a lot of different nutrients.

The apple contains vitamin C and is rich in fiber, but be sure not to peel it because a lot of the fiber and almost all of the antioxidants are actually in the peel. For this reason, I recommend buying organic apples to avoid the pesticides sprayed on the conventional varieties. If you do buy conventional, be sure to wash it thoroughly before you use it.

You can use fresh or frozen blueberries in this smoothie, whatever you have on hand. I tend to buy frozen ones when they’re on sale or fresh when they’re in season and a bit cheaper. Again, organic is the best way to go with blueberries. The cacao nibs are basically raw chocolate and are also a source of antioxidants. They’re crunchy on their own and a little bit bitter, but they work really well in smoothies.

To make this Breakfast Filler Green Smoothie, simply add all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender. You’ll need a high speed blender in order to completely grind the cacao nibs and apple peel. I use a Vitamix, an appliance that I purchased about a year ago and have never regretted. They are a bit pricey, but I use mine almost every day. So the cost has been worth it to me. The water should go in first, with the frozen ingredients being added last. Blend together and enjoy! If you like your smoothie on the sweeter side, you can always add a little Stevia or some honey.

Like this:

If you work out regularly, chances are that you’ve purchased more than your share of energy bars. I know I have. In keeping with my desire to eat whole foods and limit the amount of processed ingredients in my diet, I decided to try an energy bar make-over. One look at the ingredient list in a processed bar might convince you to do the same.

As it turns out, making your own energy bars is easy. It can be a little messy, but you’ll end up with a better-tasting product, minus the strange fillers. Here’s a starter recipe for you. I actually halved this because I was running low on one of the ingredients.

Raw Superfood and Seed Energy Bars(Adapted from a recipe at Green Kitchen Stories)

In a food processor or high speed blender, pulse the dry ingredients quickly. Don’t over-process, you want it a little crunchy. Place the mixture in a bowl and set aside. It will look a little bit like bird food at this point!

Add half of the dates and the rest of the wet ingredients to the food processor. Run the processor for 30 seconds, then add the rest of the dates one at a time while the machine is running until the mixture is smooth. You might have to help out by stirring around a few times with a fork or adding a dash of water. I added a little bit of sorghum for both sweetness and moisture.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. You might need to use your hands to mix this up well. Press the mixture evenly into small baking dish, making sure it becomes quite compact. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Cut into bars. Wrap them in paper and store in an air-tight container.

Like this:

Let me be honest from the start. I adore chocolate. I crave it, but I also want to maintain a healthy weight. So I’ve searched for a chocolate indulgence that doesn’t make me feel like I’ve just wasted my hour at the gym. Finally, I think I’ve found it!

I was searching for a good recipe last night and dragged out my “Forks Over Knives,” cookbook. There it was on page 285 – Double Chocolate Cupcakes. I’m always a little skeptical of desserts that have had a healthy make-over. They often taste like it, and what’s the fun in that? But I decided to give it a try and I’m so glad that I did! These cupcakes have a rich chocolate flavor and are incredibly moist. They get two thumbs up from this chocolate lover! They don’t have any oil, eggs or butter and all of the ingredients can be found in nearly any large grocery store. Take a look at the recipe:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper or silicone liners. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave and set it aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the plant-based milk and vinegar and let it set for a few minutes until it curdles. Stir in the sweetener, applesauce, vanilla and melted chocolate. In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in halves, stirring until it’s well mixed. Fill the cupcake tins 3/4 of the way full and bake for approximately 18-20 minutes. (I only needed 18 minutes.)

Believe me, you won’t miss the oil or eggs. These cupcakes came out moist and light. The frosting ingredients may sound a little odd, though. They did to me. But you can’t argue with the taste; it’s really good and again, no butter. Here’s the recipe for the frosting:

Add the boiling water and cocoa to a blender and mix together, then add the dates, rice syrup, salt and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. The consistency will be a little thin, so you have to refrigerate the icing until it gets thick enough to spread. The icing doesn’t taste like dates; the dates just give it a thick, rich taste and good texture.

So the next time you want an (almost) healthy chocolate cupcake, give this recipe a try!

Like this:

Last night was my first attempt at making my own yogurt and I was pretty amazed at how easy it is. I followed the instructions carefully, worried that if I didn’t I might poison myself or my husband! But I needn’t have worried; it went without a hitch. I’m a convert to homemade; the results are tasty and much better than the store-bought variety.

Going by the adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” I took a few photos along the way. I’ll walk you through the process:

Simply measure the milk into a tall sauce pan and insert the thermometer. The milk needs to reach 180 degrees and boil for 1-2 minutes. It never really reached what I consider a full boil; it was more like a soft simmer. I kept it at around 180 degrees or slightly above for two minutes. Then simply place the pan in an ice-water bath to bring the temperature of the milk back down to around 110 degrees.

Once the milk has cooled slightly, it’s time to add your starter. Place the store-bought yogurt into a separate bowl and pour in one cup of the slightly cooled milk. Whisk together until smooth. (The exact measurements for the milk and yogurt come with the instructions on your yogurt machine and are likely to vary by the type of machine you purchase.) Then combine everything together and pour into the jars. Place the jars into the yogurt machine, set the timer and walk away! Nine hours later, you’ll have seven jars of fresh yogurt. Place it in the refrigerator and about three hours later, it will be ready to enjoy.

I love smoothies, so I decided to try one with my homemade yogurt. If you’re a fan of green smoothies, you’ll enjoy this. Here’s the recipe:

One half-cup of yogurt
One banana
A handful of blueberries
One handful of spinach and/or romaine
One cup of water or milk
One cup of ice
Simply mix together and enjoy!

A little later in the day, I tried some yogurt as a snack and added in some honey, cinnamon and chopped almonds. It was so good! I found that making my own yogurt is nothing to be afraid of. It’s so simple and — best of all — you know exactly what you’re putting into your body. There are no preservatives or artificial colors, just great taste.

If you’re interested in learning more, here are a few more links that might be helpful: